Connecting link



April 21, 1925 1,535,060 A. A. TlRRlLL CONNECTING LINK Filed Oct. 14.1920 INVENTUR ia flnz QJAri J a; W @WM 543% worn/82p Patented Apr. 21,1925.

UNITED STATES;

PATENT. FFIQE.

ALLEN A. TIER/"ILL, 0J3" PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONNECTING LINK.

Application filed October 14,1920. Se ial N0.. 416,860;

State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in aConnecting Link, of which thcfollowing is a spccificae tion.

ment over the structure of copending ap: plication, Serial No. 375,331,tiled April 20th, 1920. This connecting link is suitable for use inmending automobile tire chains, in mending or attaching chains for porchswings or the like and in general, for any use in which chains are to beconnected,.or a chain is to be attached to. an article. The

connecting link may be made of such size and strength as lar use.

For all thepurposes above mentioned, it is essential that the connectinglink should be of such nature that it cannot be pulled or shaken looseafter it has been attached. For use in mending automobiletire chains, itis also essential that the connoflting link should be easy to attach,should receive and securely retain chain links irrespective of thedegree to which such links are worn, should be resistant to wear, andshould be simple in form and inexpensive to manufacture.

The object of the invention is to provide a connecting link having theabove enumerated advantages.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. l is a plan view of the connectinglink; Fig. 2 is a cross sectional view on the line 22, Fig. 1; Fig. 3 isa perspective view of the CODIIGCL- ing link illustrating the positionof the tumblers in attaching the connecting link to or detaching it froma chain; Fig. 4: is a plan view illustrating the attachment of more thanone chain link; and Fig. 5 is a plan view of a slightly modified form ofthe device.

The connecting link comprises a link or body member 1, which is formedof stiff wire or the like bent upon itself to form an elongated loop,and having therein a space or opening 2. Arranged to float in the linkor body member 1 is a tumbler lock 3, which comprises a pair of notchedplates or disks l joined by a connecting shank 5 formed integral withthe plates t. Each plate 4 is to adapt itto. any particu- This inventionrelates to a connecting link for chains and constitutes annnproveprovided with a notch 6 arranged to receive a chain link in attachingthe connecting'linli thereto or detaching it therefrom.

TO- mutually attach the connecting link and chain link, the lock 3 isbrought into such position that the notches 6 of both plates are broughtinto register with the opening 2 in the body member. The chain link tobe secured is then inserted into the notches and the tumbler lock isrotated until the chain link l ies in the space within the body member.The lock is then rotated to lock the chainlink within the body111Ql1lher 1, p

In the form of the device illustrated in Figs. 1 we of the drawings, theopenings *2 in the link or body member is Shown disposed to one side ofthe transverse central. line of such member. This is in. order that theconnecting link may be used for the at-v taclunent of one chain. as wellas for the connection of two; chains. If one chain only is attached, thelock 3 is placed in the short bend 1 of the body member before thenotches 6. of the lockare brought into. rcg-- ister with the opening 2.,Thechain link 7 isthus introduced into the long. bend lb of the. linkand. is prevented from escaping by the lock 3 which wholly or partiallycloses the opening 2. This position is shown in Fig. 3 of the drawings.

If two chain links are to be connected, the lock is in such case alsofirst brought into the short bend 1 of the connecting link and a. linkof one chain introduced into the long bend 1 of the link member. Afterthe introduction of this link, the lock is moved into the long bend 1bearing against the chain link 7 therein, and the notches 6 are againbrought into register with the opening 2 to permit the introduction ofthe second chain link 8 into the short bend 1 of the body member. lVhenthe device is used thus for the connection of two chains, the link 7lying in the long bend 1 of the body member prevents the loo: 3 frommoving so far therealong as to permit the chain link 8, lying within theshort bend 1. from being accidentally withdrawn through the openin Inorder to disengage the connecting link and a chain link, the chain linklying within the link member 1 is caused to enter the notches 6. Thelock is then moved to bring the notches 6, embracing the chain link,into register with the opening 2 and the lock ill) llt

tion is intended only for the connection 01" two chains. In the use ofthis form of the device a chain link lies in each bend of the bodymember with the lock 3 between them. Each of the chain links thusprevents the lock 3 from being shifted so far in'either direction alongthe body member as to ex-' pose the opening 2 and permit accidentalwithdrawal of the other link.

The device of the present invention differs from that of copendingapplication,

,Serial No. 375,331, filed April 20, 1920, in

that the tumbler lock is formed with the tumbler plates and theirconnecting shank integral, so that it provides a single tumbler having adouble disk construction for engaging the link member 1. The advantageof such structure is that the rivet, a possible point of weakness iseliminated; and that the entire tumbler lock may be tempered as a whole.It also avoids the labor of assembling the lock. j 7

It has been found in use that the likelihood that a chain link may enterthe notches and be accidentally carried out of the link member throughthe opening therein is but little greater than Where a pair of mutuallyrotatable tumbler disks, such as those embodied in the device of theabove noted application, are employed. When the connecting link isemployed as a mending link for tire chains, in which use it is subjectedto movable lengthwise thereof across said open- 0 ing and providedwithtransversely aligned notches arranged to co-operate with said openinthrong 2. A device according to claim 1 in which the lock member isformed in the nature of two discs rigidly connected by'a Waist portion.

3. A device according to claim 1 in which the lockmember is formed inthe nature of twodisks of greater diameter than the dis. tance betweenthe long sides of the link and rigidly connected by a waist portion.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto set my hand.

' ALLEN A. TIRRILL.

Witnesses:

FLORENCE F. SCHWARTZ,

G. W. ALsToN.

for controlling passage there

